Looking To Emigrate?

"With the Foreign Office's research showing 42% of over 55's wishing they could live anywhere else apart from the UK, it doesn't take much to discover why.", says Mike Saunders, Marketing Director at Snobby Homes.

"Bad weather, soaring crime, a despairing health service and the taxing sword of Damocles about to fall, in a vain attempt to cut the country's rampant borrowing deficit, what quality of life is that, when planning retirement? "

There is however an answer.

Sell up in the UK, buy a Snobby in Crete and chances are you'll still have a nice nest egg left over.

Continues Mike, "Say you have a pension and investment income of around £12,000 per year, you can either stretch to make things meet in the UK - or live the life of Riley in Crete, where a pension goes a whole lot further. For a start there's no council tax. Typically that'll save you about £1,400.

What about everyday living? We did a little price comparison and took standard prices from ASDA and compared them with what you pay in Crete - using an exchange rate of 1.1€ to £1.00 and quoting all prices in sterling.

On this basis our shopping basket, with a much wider range of products, cost 12% less in Crete. We did not factor in any special promotions, or own brands, at either supermarket, which would affect a true comparison.

Also, there is 21% VAT levied on food in Crete. How long will it be before the UK follows suit with the rest of Europe?
Typically a monthly supermarket shop of meat, fish, groceries and cleaning materials, for two people living in Crete, costs around £360."

A couple living in a two bedroom Snobby would be likely to spend the following each month. (Prices quoted in sterling)

Housekeeping 400
UTILITIES - water, electric 80
House insurance 9
Telephone and broadband 55
(Hatch back car - 1.3 litre)
Car insurance and road tax 45
Petrol 40
Total 629

That leaves a disposable income of over £371 per month. Typically you can eat out, including wine, for around £20 - £25 per couple, so you can afford quite a few romantic dinners each month and still have money to spend.

Concluded Mike, "There is greener grass to be found - on the Greek island of Crete which is home to many Brits who took the plunge and now enjoy a lifestyle they couldn't better in the UK.
Crete enjoys 320 days of sunshine every year - guaranteed! It has the lowest crime rate in Europe so you can rest easy, and a hospital system which is surprisingly good - with no MRSA or waiting lists. Housing too, is far cheaper. You get more bricks for your pound in Crete."


A new-build two bedroom detached Snobby home in Western Crete, will cost you around £100,000 and that includes all purchase costs and legal fees, fixtures, fittings, furniture and a wonderful paved courtyard garden spacious enough for a swimming pool and bags of space left over for sun terraces and a garden. Imagine that? In the UK a two bedroom detached house would set you back around £180,000 plus - and on top of that you have all the purchase costs too!


Snobby Homes
0871 900 8690

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